Abstract - Ray - 9531207 More than 70 billion lbs/year of synthetic polymers are currently produced in the U.S. in a wide variety of polymerization reactors. The ultimate use of the products from these reactors ranges from synthetic clothing through automotive structural components and optical disks to latex paints. It is estimated that the total sales of these materials in the U.S. amount to more than 100 billion dollars/year. In addition, synthetic polymers provide a positive export/import balance of more than 6 billion dollars/year. In this research, the PI plans to make use of detailed models for both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic polymerization reactors to analyze and explain observed experimental measurements of molecular weight distribution, copolymer composition, chain branching, tacticity, etc. as well as those results showing complex dynamic phenomena in continuous reactors. Close comparison of experimental results and model predictions will be made in order to tune and validate existing models as well as those now under development. From these models, the PI expects to predict the range of reactor design parameters for which undesirable polymer properties and unstable dynamic behavior arise and experimentally test these predictions in the laboratory. From the results, he will derive suitable process operating conditions for the desired polymer properties, high productivity, and safe dynamic operation. After experimentally testing the new reactor designs which appear to yield acceptable dynamic behavior and desirable polymer properties, feedback control strategies suitable for dealing with any remaining dynamic problems will be tested. As part of this effort, the development and testing of several new on-line polymer characterization devices is under way. Through these research efforts, the PI expects to be able to design and control reactors capable of producing a more uniform and higher quality polymer product.
